Carton erecting mechanism



Sept. 29,1953 R. J. HICKIN 2,653,524

CARTON ERECTING MECHANISM Filed May 2-, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i f {I I I I I Q J] I a /4 INVENT OR ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1953 R. J. HICKIN 2,653,524

CARTON ERECTING MECHANISM Filed May 2, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Sept. 29; 1953 Filed May 2, 1951 R. J. HICKIN CARTON ERECTING MECHANISM 4. Sheets-Sheet. 3

e b i e i a g a d/ i z A i fk INVENTOR 9.63 EM 14%;,

ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1953 R. J. HlCKlN 2,653,524

CARTON ERECTING MECHANISM Filed May 2, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1953 CARTON ERECTING MECHANISM Robert J. Hickin, Rittman, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Boxboard Company, Rittman, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 2, 1951, Serial No. 224,201

10 Claims. (01. 93-51 This invention relates to carton erecting machines, and it has special reference to mechanism associated with a die and plunger machine for erecting, from their fiat paperboard blanks, cartons particularly of the so-called hook-end style which include end flaps ultimately arranged exteriorly of the ends of the carton and provided with interengaging hook members which hold the carton in relatively rigid set up condition.

The ordinary die and plunger machine for erecting cartons of this type includes die-forming members providing an opening Or cavity through which the carton blank is forced by a plunger or mandrel, and including means on the die-forming members which serve to plow or guide the wallforming parts of the carton blank, in proper relative order, into erected condition with the locking hooks of the securing end flaps in engagement.

In the usual operation of such machines, a reasonably short stroke of the plunger with relation to the die cavity will effect erection of the carton parts, but only a partial interlocking engagement of the hook-end locking flaps will be attained, and their complete interlocking engagement, and properly finished squared-up erection a relatively large and cumbersome machine for a I given size of carton, resulting in concomitant reduction in speed of the machine, due to added machine mass and operative movement, and increase in the tiTne-to-production factor.

The object of the present invention is to provide a die and plunger machine of the type and for the purpose referred to, with mechanism which will automatically insure full interengagement of the hook-end flaps during the erection of the carton and with a relatively short movement of the plunger with respect to the die, say of approximately only three-eighths of an inch, in excess of that necessary to plow the wall forming parts to the assembled condition as has been pointed out, thus making possible the use of a relatively small, light-weight, short-stroke machine with increase in production rate, and at the same time insuring desired complete, squaredup erection of the cartons as they are discharged from the machine.

To this end the invention comprises, in combination with a carton erecting machine of the die and plunger type having die members for effecting set-up and assembly of the carton parts as the carton blank is forced through the die by 2 the plunger, of means engageable with the upper edges of the hook-end flaps and serving as stops to insure horizontal alignment of such upper edges, and means operable to exert substantially instantaneous upward pressure, in the nature of a slap or tap, against the lower portion of the carton walls, including the lower edges of the hook-end flaps to force their upper edges into engagement with the stop means, thus effecting full cooperative engagement of the hook members, horizontal alignment of the flaps and appropriate desired squaring-up of the carton, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the parts forming the die cavity of a carton erecting machine of the type generally hereinbefore referred to, with mechanism, including a plunger or mandrel, according to the invention associated therewith, a hook-end style car-ton blank being shown in dot and dash lines superimposed thereon,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the representation of the carton blank being omitted,

Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are vertical sectional elevations taken longitudinally of the machine and illustrating three substantially consecutive steps in the operation of the mechanism,

Figs. 6 and '7 are enlarged perspective views showing the outer and inner faces, respectively, of one of the pressure applying members of the mechanism of the invention,

Fig. 8 is a plan view, enlarged, of the inner face of a more or less conventional paperboard blank for a hook-end carton of the style to which the erecting mechanism of the invention is directed,

Fig. 9 is a further enlarged perspective view of a hook-end style carton formed from the blank of Fig. 8, and showing the hook-end flaps in partially interengaged condition and to the completion of engagement of which the mechanism of the invention is directed, and

Fig. 10. is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the hook-end flaps fully engaged and horizontally aligned and the carton in properly erected, squared-up condition.

Having reference to Figs. 8 to 10, it will be seen that the typical so-called single hook-end style carton? shown is formed from a flat paperboard blank provided with appropriate cuts and folding scores to define a bottom wall a, side walls b,

the blank into the die cavity, and the die mem,,

bers serving to erect the side walls b and end walls and to fold inwardly across these. end walls the end flaps d and e in proper manner and sequence to cause interengageinpnt oftheir respective hook members I and i;

Ordinarily, as has been pointed out, the erection of the carton to this state wi-llrlsult in only r e mem er t an. n the e i a1 ec an u ar ate te med byl the me b r 18 he d s ca t f he ma hine i e t tea e mine w aber i an tor h s walls I) and end walls c,' respectively, and folding member a e 8, a the. e k-ens a and a. specti el ielbw nt wa rm n members 6 and the to members I and 8 there. a e. arwiatq fllide member r l 9 h h, .1 9 id? w -L iql'q l 1313 9 5 prov e a well il l e. encl su e r, w s: Qt e lar em}. hatin as nd wi th subs ntiall t e frm i 1 th he a essn ns e ernal im n qnse the eeted a n- Cfl-rton anks e red to, e. maeh b any ap r p iat mec ani m item wh h h r pu hed nt and slamme by w so spaced relatively to each other as to adcommd: ate the Qverell. eng h f th t carton-blank, was! is eb leeeiedh a b i a nsans t with relat n; t e d t a to properly register the, fed fiat banks thereover. Adjustable edge stops ll 'sjrveto -limit the progress of: and accurately position "the blanks as they are fed over the die avityfalong the ways I 8',and adjustablef s upportsn serve to holding the leading edges of the"blanksat proper elevation and'preveiit their possibl'saggingl. The dot and dash outlinesuperimposed upon Fig. 1 illustrates a blank'properly' regis tered and supported above the die cavity.

The plunger or mandrel H has a shank I5 connected with proper mechanism ofconventional form (not shown) by which it may be vertically reciprocated, and it has a fiat bottom of an area substantially the same as that of the innerface of the bottom walla of the blank. The sides l6 of the mandrel or plunger are substantially plain and at right angles to the bottom, but its ends I! are preferably slant ed inwardly from bottom to top and are turnished with vertical channels |'8(Figs. 1 and 2), for a purpose hereinafter disclosed.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, it will be seen that longitudinal frame members I9 are arranged su'bst'antially'centrally of 4 the bed frame of the machine, and to these members are adjustably attached bearing brackets which carry the guide members 9, and also attached to these members 20 are detents 2| having pivots 22 adjacent to their upper ends, their lower ends being capable of projection and retraction with respect to the die cavity through slots (not shown), in thegnidemembers 9. The

detents 2i aregbiased ppsitionpfro'jctlng into the die cavity'bftension springs 23 and the extent of such projection may be limited by adju'stable abutments 24.

" In arrangement transversely of the bed frame of the machine and located in position adjacent-to, he, limit "of downward movement or travel of-th, plunger or mandrel I4 is a pair 01' rock 'shaft's25"'and26 each of which has afllxed thereto, foroscillatory movement therewith, a pressure plate 21. One end of each of the shafts 25 2Bis'firovided with a crank arm 28 and these arms are joined 'by a link 29, which may be either rigid. or flexible, but which is preferably adjustably connctedwith the" crank 'arn'i's 28 as by turn buckles or the like." sitefendone oftl ie shafts (15)" carries an Opel: ating lever}! connected by a link 32' with the piston rod 33 of "an" air or vacuum nefiied cylinder 3 4 control of 'energizatio'irof obtained by suitable actuating me hanism; such as a c m atuiatea vnv'matrices), functioning in timed reams to the reciprocative movement of the plunger or mandrel II. If electrically actuated control means are 'pree ret h bylinqer a! ayb' mad y: $9 eno'id magnet, and switch mechanism there'- for may be operated in r'e sponse tore ciproca'tion f ip gr H a operation of the machine the mechanism of the invention'willTunctlon'as followsfhavin'g reference particularly to 3 to 5." As' the plunger or mandrel 1Q descends into the die cavity with a," carton formed thereon but with the hook members f andg'of'tlie hook end flaps dj a nd e not filmy engagedfas shown in F g.1; thefends of the thu's'fo rined c a'rton, supported the mandrel, will causere tr'action of the detents 2] (Fig 3) until the upper edges of the hook-end flaps d and e passbelowthe 'lower ends of the dtents',' whereuponihese "'detent's' will be projected uii de r theiiifiuric'e"oftheir springs z's'tdo venie'the'upterages of the flaps d and e, the slanted'ends IT ofthe pluiigeno'r fnaridrel' affordingrb'omYor suillcient deflection o'f't h'e cartonend walls '0' to accommodate the detents irf tliispds itiofl (Fig; 4).

It will be understood that this is the limit of downward movement of the plunger or mandrel l4, eq it' immediately startsfits'ii ceiit tiidiiig' a: s rip cam e 'tfl i a 9 9 ing efiest th en' s in hf g t' r h the upper edges of the hoolg en'd'flaps d and e. After only a very Slight ascending movement of the plunger or mandrel has taken place, the control mechanism for the cylinder illj will be actuated. to energize this cylinder to retract the piston rod 3 3 which will, turn, through the link and lever ec i ms 3;, 3| oscillate th shaft 25 and therethrough, by crank arms 28 on the shafts 2,5 and 25 and their connecting link 29, oscillate the shaft 26 so that the plates 21 will be brought up sharply, with a slap or tap, against the bottom of the carton (Fig. 5), applying pressure thereto, and thereby causing the hQ k-end flaps d and e to have their book members f and g fully engaged, their upper edges aligned, and the carton appropriately squared up.

Immediately upon the completion of this function, the cylinder 34 will be deenergized and the shafts 25 and 26 will assume their original, normal at-rest position, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4.

In its continued ascent the plunger or mandrel It will strip free of the formed carton, the channels I8 in its ends I! enabling it to clear th projected detents 2|, and the erected carton will be free to drop from, or be ejected from, the die cavity.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the structure, assembly and mode of operation of the mechanism, certain elements as shown being merely representative of those that may be effectively employed, and it will be apparent that such changes will effect no major departure from the basic concept of completing the locking and insuring the alignment of the hook-end flaps of hook-end style cartons by the application of pressure thereagainst while movement is restrained, as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In mechanism for erecting cartons of the hook-end type having a pair of complemental vertically erectable flap members each provided with interhook means, said hook means being interengageable by relative vertical movement of said flap members, means for applying pressure to the carton in the direction of engagement of said hook means, and means functioning directly counter to the direction of such applied pressure for engaging and limiting movement of said flap members under the influence of such applied pressure.

2. In mechanism for erecting cartons of the hook-end type having a pair of complemental vertically erectable end flap members each provided with hook means and adapted for assembly with their hook means interengaged exteriorly of the carton walls and substantially normal to the carton bottom, means for applying pressure to the carton walls in a direction normal to the carton bottom, and means functioning directly counter to the direction of such applied pressure and engageable with the edges of said flap members remote from the carton bottom during the application of such pressure to thus limit movement of said flap members under the influence of such pressure.

3. In apparatus of the forming die-cavity and reciprocable plunger type for erecting hook-end cartons having complemental vertically erectable iiap members provided with interengageable hook I 1 means, the combination of mechanism including detent means associated with the walls of the forming die-cavity and adapted to overlie the edges of said flap members when said plunger during its cartonerecting movement moves the formed carton into the forming die-cavity beyond said detent means, and means for applying pressure to the formed carton in a direction counter to such carton erecting movement and serving to force said flap members against said detent means and thereby accomplish full engagement of said hook means.

4. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which the pressure applying means are actuated in timed relation to the reciprocation of the plunger and subsequent to completion of its carton erecting movement.

5. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which the detent means normally extend through the walls of and into the forming die-cavity but are retractable from extension into said cavity upon movement of a formed carton past them during the carton erecting movement of said plunger.

6. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which the pressure applying means include members movable into and out of engagement with the carton.

7. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which the pressure applying means include members normally remote from the area of the die-cavity but movable into contact with a carton within the die-cavity in timed relation to reciprocation of the plunger.

8. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 7 in which the pressure applying means include two oscillatable members having their axes of oscillation fixed with respect to the diecavity, said members being provided with means serving to insure their simultaneous oscillation.

9. In apparatus of the forming die-cavity and reciprocating plunger type for erecting hook-end cartons having complemental flap members provided with interengageable hook means, the combination of mechanism for insuring full engagement of said hook means including similar detent means disposed at opposite sides of said die-cavity and yieldingly biased to a normal position of extension into the area of said cavity but retractable under the influence of a formed carton passing through said cavity with and during the carton erecting stroke of said plunger, said detent means thus being capable of assuming positions for engagement with the upper edges of said flap members after the formed carton has moved with the plunger past the detent means, and means for thereafter applying pressure to the formed carton in a direction counter to the carton erecting stroke of the plunger to force the edges of said flaps into engagement with said detent means to insure full engagement of said hook means.

10. The combination of mechanism as claimed in claim 9, in which the pressure applying means include a pair of oscillatable members movable into and out of the area of the die-cavity, said members being interconnected for simultaneous actuation and being provided with means whereby they may be thus actuated in timed relation to the reciprocation of the plunger.

ROBERT J. HICKIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 13,807 Inman Oct. 13, 1914 519,531 Gay May 8, 1894 1,894,209 Wikstrom Jan. 10, 1933 2,516,624 Guyer July 25, 1950 

